A Proposal of Marriage
by MarcusLaurence
Summary: After nine years of dating, the day comes when Jaune asks for Pyrrha's hand in marriage.


**I got slightly distracted this weekend and ended up creating this side project. I was suddenly hit really hard with feels; I miss Pyrrha a lot. So, I figured I'd write something for her! As always, thanks for reading.**

* * *

"Today is the day I finally ask Pyrrha to marry me!" Jaune checked his reflection in the mirror, doing his best to psyche himself up. Try as he could to appear confident, he was nervous as hell. Scared, even. He pulled a small box from his pocket, turning it over in his hands. It wasn't overly ornate, but it held much sentimental value. It had been used for his grandfather's marriage proposal, and his father's years later. Jaune couldn't help but to smile at the thought of continuing the family tradition.

He opened it for what must've been the twentieth time that day, gazing with fondness at the ring inside. A plain band of gold, sparsely decorated. Pyrrha Nikos wasn't one to appreciate ornate jewelry. Instead of a diamond, the band was set with an exceptionally radiant emerald that reflected thousands of points of light, every subtle change in angle allowing it to display new facets and details. He had chosen the specific stone because it matched her eyes, he realized he took them for granted when they were apart. But even a rare stone was no match for her quietly expressive eyes. Being small, the stone wouldn't cause an averse reaction. He hoped.

"Okay," he declared, exhaling deeply. "Let's do this." Jaune planned for the engagement to be an all-day event, and although he had set his alarm for seven that morning, his nervous stomach woke him up at five-thirty. The extra time to prepare hadn't done anything to quell his nerves. This was, after all, probably the biggest day of his life so far.

Jaune left their shared house and began driving, heading to Signal Academy. Neither of them had any combat classes to teach because it was the weekend, but she had stopped by earlier to finish up some paperwork. He would be picking her up.

He parked outside the rear entrance, the one closest to the combat arena. As he approached the door, keys in hand, it opened suddenly, revealing his beautiful soon to be fiancee. He gulped, eyes travelling over her to appreciate her outfit. She always dressed well, today was no exception. A white dress that went to just below her knees draped over her shoulders, accentuating the curve of her collarbones. Her flame-colored hair hung loosely down her back, tied in the middle with a bow of pink string. She gets prettier every day. . .

"Jaune!" she said in surprise; she had nearly hit him with the door. "I didn't know you were already here."

"I just got here." He returned her smile with one of his own, holding the door for her. Pyrrha gave him a hug, then stepped back, tugging on his jacket, raising her eyebrows in question. While Jaune had started dressing better after graduating Beacon, he usually didn't wear his best jacket, preferring to save it for more formal occasions.

"Is. . . something happening today?"

"Y-yes!" he responded nervously. Jaune had become incredibly confident in himself in the last eight years, he rarely displayed unease anymore. If Pyrrha noticed his stutter, she didn't make comment. "I thought we could do a couple things out of the ordinary, instead of having a normal weekend," he continued.

"Well that sounds grand! What did you have in mind?" The pair walked to the car, Jaune half supporting her as she leaned affectionately on him.

"Hehe, you'll see soon."

* * *

A short drive brought them to the aquarium. They arrived right as it opened and were ushered in by one of the kind attendants. The time flew by while they looked in wonder at the sea life, blue-green tanks casting strange colors over their faces. The picture Jaune took made them look incredibly silly. Pyrrha found the aquatic petting zoo especially wonderful, allowing herself to laugh gleefully while the Koi fish nibbled her fingers. It was a laugh that Jaune always considered himself so lucky to hear. When lunchtime arrived, the two of them had worked up quite an appetite.

Pyrrha expressed interest in visiting a small cafe near the beach. They chose seats outside, the sunshine and slight breeze creating a calm atmosphere which they enjoyed until their food came. The arrival of food hindered their conversational ability but neither of them minded, all too happy to dig into the small sandwiches and artisanal coffee that was brought out.

Jaune was given a chance to laugh after she sat back in her chair, a proud expression on her face. Also on her face was a small dab of pesto, all that remained from her sizable sandwich. Pyrrha, the epitome of graceful movement and speech, could be a surprisingly sloppy eater when it came to seaside sandwiches. Jaune silently enjoyed the ironic sight for a moment before asking if he could take a picture of her. She consented, looking regal against the oceanic backdrop, which only made the pesto on her cheek funnier. When he showed her the picture and she gasped in horror, Jaune was finally pushed over the edge, laughing loudly while she glared in mock anger, throwing her napkin at his face.

* * *

Eventually, the air began to cool and the day drew to a close. "A sunset walk might be nice," Jaune suggested. "What do you think?"

"Sure," she replied, reaching over to intertwine their fingers.

Their stroll took them along the beach, the two of them sharing conversation as they watched the sun set. Eventually they walked onto a pier, going to the edge so they could look out over the ocean. The stars were brilliant, the waves washed onto the beach behind them. They leaned on the railing, Jaune's arm around her shoulders to provide warmth. The comfortable silenced stretched, until Jaune broke it.

"We've been together for a long time." Pyrrha didn't respond, smiling instead while huddling closer to him. He continued, "What's it been, eight years, nine?" He blinked in surprise. "Ten?" Pyrrha giggled at that, interjecting.

"It's nine, Jaune."

He laughed good naturedly. "Ah, thanks." Another silence followed, only this time a sense of apprehension was in the air. Jaune fidgeted for a moment, before finally stepping away from her. With a burst of courage, he addressed her. "Pyrrha, I've never been great with words. Heck, when I'm around you, I can barely form sentences without thinking things through sometimes. I'm awkward, and not very confident." Jaune smiled at her expression, she was beginning to catch on. "Meeting you all those years ago. . . well, they've been the best of my life, and I wouldn't trade it for anything." He kneeled, maintaining eye contact with his beloved.

"Pyrrha," he removed the small box from his jacket pocket. "Would you stay by my side, for the rest of our lives?"

Both hands were covering her mouth by now, tears beginning to show in her eyes. "I do! Jaune, I-" her voice broke, she finished her thought by jumping into him, allowing herself to be crushed by his embrace. She had trouble getting the next words out, choked up as she was. "Jaune, I love you so much."

She took her time leaving his arms, content just to hold the man she loved so dearly. Jaune smiled as she finally stepped back. He took her left hand, delicately sliding the emerald ring onto her finger. "I love you too Pyrr." He clasped their hands in between their bodies, both of them admiring the way the ring looked on her. "This is the happiest day of my life!" Pyrrha hugged him again, not needing to voice her agreement out loud for it to be true.

* * *

Later that night the newly affianced couple lay in bed, Pyrrha curled warmly in Jaune's embrace. She opened her eyes for a moment, leaning away so she could look at him.

"Jaune, do you believe in destiny?"

"Hmm, I don't know. . . But if I think of destiny as a goal, rather than some sort of predetermined fate, then yes." He hugged her close again, their unclothed forms twining comfortably. "I think you're my destiny."


End file.
